For safety’s sake, buckle up with a life jacket that’s right for you.

At West Marine, we believe safety when boating should be your first priority. This starts with having the right life jacket for you—one that you are willing to wear. Want to see our best-selling life jackets trusted by our customers? Check out our Top 9 PFDs West Advisor.

Do you want an inflatable PFD or an inherently buoyant life jacket?

When shopping for a PFD, you will need to choose between an inflatable and an inherently buoyant model. Inflatable life jackets are offered with a choice of manual only or manual/automatic inflation. Inflatable life jackets include models designed for recreational, inshore/coastal and offshore use. Offshore inflatable life jackets provide the most buoyancy and include features such as a built-in safety harness.

Inherently Buoyant Life Vests

Inherently buoyant life jackets rely upon neoprene or encapsulated closed cell foam for flotation. When selecting an inherently buoyant PFD, choose one that fits snugly and provides adequate freedom of movement for your boating activity. These types of PFDs are offered in a variety of styles designed for different boating activities.

Have fun on the water with a life jacket designed for your on-the-water activity.

No matter how you choose to enjoy your time on the water, West Marine has a life vest that is right for you. At West Marine, you will find inherently buoyant Level 70 (Type III) life jackets that are specifically designed for fishing, paddlesports, high speed water sports, dinghy sailing and general recreation.

• For the Entire Family - In addition to offering life jackets for adults, West Marine offers infant life preservers, kid’s life jackets, youth PFDs and even life jackets for pets.
• Maximize the Freedom of Movement - If you enjoy paddling a kayak, check out our paddlesports life jackets, which boast roomy arm openings for unrestricted freedom of movement.
• Impact-Resistant Water Sports Life Jackets - Wakeboarders out to get some air appreciate our large selection of water sports life jackets that feature impact resistant designs with sturdy straps and buckles that will stay put when you crash and burn.
• Sailors Enjoy All-day Comfort - Sailors appreciate our selection of sailing life vests designed for ultimate comfort as you move about your boat.
• Families on a Budget - Moms and dads looking to outfit their families benefit from our selection of general recreation life vests that includes our ever popular Runnabout Life Jackets that meet the needs of a variety of boating activities at a moderate price.
• Four-legged Friends are Covered Too! - And not to forget our pets, we’ve got Fido covered with a variety of life jackets to keep your family's best friend safe when dog paddling or standing watch on deck.

Changes to Life Jacket Labeling

Until recently, all of the USCG approved life jackets and flotation aids that West Marine sells were assigned a USCG “Type” designation, which could be Type I, II, III, IV or V. Most of the recreational life jackets described in the above paragraph were formerly labeled as USCG Type III. Now however, under a new system of “Harmonized Life Jacket Approvals”, life jackets equivalent to the Type III models mentioned above are labeled as “Level 70” buoyancy aids. For more about changes to life jacket labeling and additional help with selecting a life jacket, read our West Advisor article How to Select a Life Vest.

Related Articles:

• Overview of USCG Requirements for PFDs/a>